Article Title: Air Travelers Resisting the ‘Incredible Shrinking Airline Seat’
Author of Article: M. C. White
Date of article: November 6, 2017
Source URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/06/business/airline-seat.html
This New York Times article illustrates the clash among marketing, finance, and operations strategies in the airline industry.
On one side, marketing departments and consumer advocate groups insist on preserving existing leg room standards. On the other, revenue management departments push for efficiency-oriented plane redesigns that squeeze more seats into an airplane.
Slimmer seat designs can offer passengers more room. However, they also provide the opportunity to add one or two extra rows without compromising existing leg room.
Discussion Questions
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of including more seats in an airplane?
Guidance: Discussion may focus on unit costs, revenues, number of planes needed, fuel costs, flight attendants’ morale, passengers’ expectations, and/or potential litigation.
2. Do you think the House of Quality framework was used to design the slimmer seats? Can the seats be improved further?
Guidance: There is evidence the HOQ framework partially guided the design of the seats. The slimmer seat design features conform to customers’ requests for more room, fewer hard points, and better Continue reading
